The present invention relates to a manipulator apparatus designed to permit the remote controlled manipulation of tools and other devices and, specifically, is related to a transfer platform adapted for use with a manipulator apparatus used in the operation and maintenance of a nuclear fuel reprocessing facility.
Remote controlled manipulator devices, also known as vertical or horizontal bridge manipulators, are commonly employed in the operation and maintenance of nuclear power plants and related facilities, such as nuclear fuel reprocessing operations. Such manipulators are usually mounted to a pair of upper and lower parallel guide rails for reciprocal linear movement thereon, and include an articulated arm connected to a carriage. The manipulator arm is adapted to move at least horizontally and vertically, and may be provided with a hook-like gripping device commonly referred to as a hand. The hand is adapted to be remote controlled to pick up and/or otherwise manipulate objects within a controlled access chamber, such as within an area exposed to radioactivity. Conventional manipulators have lifting capacities in the range of 150 pounds. An overhead crane may be provided for the manipulation of heavier components.
Radioactive fuel reprocessing facilities may be designed with a plurality of individual processing cells or chambers in linear arrangement, each chamber having a wall in common with an elongate pump and valve (P&V) corridor. The processing apparatus of each chamber in such a facility may be designed such that process pipe sections would protrude through the common wall and into the P&V corridor, where connection to appropriate pumps and valves requiring periodic maintenance would be made. The remainder of the piping, located within the chamber, would be permanently welded due to its lack of required periodic maintenance. At least one manipulator may be adapted to travel along a guide rail extending substantially the full length of the P&V corridor to perform remote controlled maintenance on the pumps and valves connected to each chamber.
A major drawback of conventional remote controlled manipulators is the absence of any accommodation on the manipulator itself for the storage or transport of pumps, valves, or other components. Instead, a manipulator and/or an overhead crane used in a P&V corridor would be required to make frequent trips to and from a component supply area to perform required periodic maintenance on the pumps and valves of one or more processing chambers.
One attempted solution to this problem is the provision of a self-propelled cart designed to be mounted on a separate rail system. This cart and rail system would be disposed in the P&V corridor substantially parallel to the manipulator guide rail. However, such a cart and rail system may cause considerable inconvenience for operating personnel in the maintenance room, as it would be an obstacle to performing maintenance on the manipulator. In addition, such a cart and rail system would add significantly to the overall construction and maintenance costs of the fuel reprocessing facility.
Thus, there is a need for a device adapted to transport articles in close proximity to a remote controlled manipulator of the type used in a nuclear fuel reprocessing facility. Such a device would preferably possess the characteristics of easy installation upon existing manipulator structures and light weight construction to permit installation of the device upon the manipulator by the manipulator arm itself. Furthermore, such a device would not impair operator visibility of the manipulator area and would have a minimum of moving parts which require maintenance.